Falling In and Out
by DragonGirl323
Summary: She never thought it would come to this. She never thought she would ever become the victim. Leaving him would either make it possible to fix everything or backfire and that was the last thing she wanted.
1. Running Away

**Disclaimer:** I do not own nor claim to own to aspect of Final Fantasy X-2, including the places, characters and music. No further disclaimer will be posted so please refer to this chapter in the future.

**A/N:** This is the first story that I've revamped. I've changed the title and made it a standalone fic since this story was originally a sequel. I hope I've done a good job on it. Let me know how I did.

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**Falling In and Out**

**By: Jenna Mogavero**

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**Chapter I:**

**Running Away**

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I rushed past Baralai's sleeping body and quietly opened the door, disappearing into the night without a look back. I ran around behind our house and mounted our chocobo. The large bird warked in protest, not used to being ridden so late at night, as I hopped up onto his back. I clutched my infant son, Jordan, tightly to my chest and sped away from Bevelle. I looked back only once and watched as my home dematerialized into the night. Tears came to my eyes as the whole evening replayed in my mind. I almost couldn't believe that what had transpired had really happened. It was like I was experiencing the most terrifying nightmare imaginable and unable to stop it.

First of all, this whole fiasco started when Rikku had the bright idea of a reunion party a year after the defeat of Shyuin and Vegnagun. I begrudgingly accepted only because I hadn't been in touch with any of them and, believe it or not, I missed them. I hadn't expected to see Baralai there. I thought Rikku just wanted to get me, her and Yuna together, not my old Crimson Squad comrades too. I also hadn't expected how much Al Bhed alcohol Rikku had stocked up. Needless to say, all of us got blitzed out of our minds, and Baralai and I managed to confess a couple things to each other that neither of us would have never spoken about otherwise. The worst part is that we both remembered what we had talked about with perfect clarity.

Six months later we were married. I was four months pregnant with Jordan on our wedding day.

Anyways, back to the heart of the matter. I was sitting in the living room when Baralai barged in, shouting incoherently. I had just put Jordan down for the night so the fact that he was yelling so loudly pissed me off just a little bit. But I knew that discretion is the better part of valor so I kept my temper in check. I tried to calmly ask him what was wrong but he continually dodged the question, refusing to answer me. I got close enough to him that I could smell the alcohol on his clothes and his breath. The odor was so strong in fact that I thought he had taken a bath in it. I accused him of getting drunk again and that's when he went overboard. He began hitting me relentlessly. Even when I begged him to stop, he only hit me harder.

And all the while that he was doing this, I knew that this wasn't my husband. This wasn't the man I married. This wasn't the man I had a child with.

It was all I could do to just protect myself and ride out the storm. When he was like this he had no idea how hard he was hitting me or how much and half the time he totally missed me. After he thought he beat me enough, he collapsed on the couch and passed out. I backed up against the wall and burst into tears, trying to figure out what was going on but unable to come up with any answers. This was the third time in the last month that he had come home drop dead drunk and the seventh time he's beaten me since our son was born. I didn't know why; he never told me why he went out drinking night after night. I didn't think Baralai was capable of such a thing. _Just shows you how much you know a person,_ I thought ruefully.

That's when Jordan started fussing. I rushed into his room like my heels were on fire. I carefully but swiftly lifted him out of his crib and rocked him in my arms until he stopped, praying that he hadn't woken Baralai up. As I stood there with Jordan lying against my shoulder I knew that if I didn't get out of here Baralai would end up hurting me or even killing me. That's when I decided to leave. It was the only option that I had at my disposal. I realized it would continue to get worse and worse if he didn't have some time to himself to think.

So, without saying a word, I packed a small bag with Jordan's belongings and mine and, well, here I am. I didn't have enough time to call Rikku or Yuna, doing so would have sabotaged my getaway. If Baralai had caught me trying to leave who knows what he would have done to me or worse, to Jordan.

I pushed my chocobo to his limit as we made our way through Macalania Woods and the Thunder Plains. Once I reached Guadosalam, I reluctantly sold my chocobo. I knew I wouldn't be able to take him with me but it didn't make the hurt of having to get rid of him any less. Then with a pocketful of gil, I caught a Shoopuf to cross the Moonflow, deciding to walk the rest of the way to Luca. I was making great time, hardly stopping to rest, and Jordan barely fussed. He seemed to be enjoying himself looking around at the different scenery. He had never been outside Bevelle before so this was like an entirely new world to him.

By the time I got on a boat heading to Kilika, the sun was already visible on the horizon. I walked to the front of the ship and sat down on the small set of steps, slowly inhaling the salty sea air. I could almost forget that my husband had been abusing me and pretend that I was only on a holiday, but I definitely wasn't delusional. I wasn't about to fool myself and Rikku and Yuna would hear nothing but the truth once I got there.

I was jarred from my thoughts as Jordan began squirming in my arms. I gazed down at him and held him tightly to my chest. He looked just like Baralai, which was one of the things I loved most about him. He had the same dark skin and white fluffy hair but his eyes were red like mine. I smiled as he reached his small hand up and touched my cheek, cooing softly as his tiny eyes searched my face. He patted my face a few times before letting his hand fall back to where it was a few moments ago. I ran my fingers through his hair lovingly and hugged him to my chest once again. I still couldn't believe that it had been seven months since I had given birth to him. I still remembered the day he was born with perfect clarity.

The boat docked at Kilika and I had to wait for about a half an hour for the boat for Besaid to arrive. Once I got on the boat it was mid morning and I was dead tired. I had almost fallen asleep while I was waiting for the boat to Besaid. After paying my way, I went down into the hold and found a bed to sleep in for the rest of the way to Besaid. I lay down and both Jordan and were out like lights.

What seemed like only a few minutes later Jordan started fidgeting and making babbling noises which, in turn, woke me up. I sat up and, because of the fact that I didn't have any prepared formula with me, I breast fed him before getting out of bed. I grabbed my bag and left the hold, walking up onto the deck. I sighed in relief as I caught sight of Besaid on the horizon.

I bit my lip and looked down. _It's been almost a year since I've seen Yuna or Rikku. I wonder if they'll even recognize me._

The last time I saw them, I was a completely different person. While I was pregnant with Jordan I still wore the tight fitting dress spheres even after I began showing. It was only after about month six that I started wearing maternity clothes. After I had Jordan I let my hair grow out and dyed it jet black, but I'm still the quiet, stubborn teenager that they knew back in the time of Vegnagun. At least that hasn't changed.

Now I'm back to wearing the Warrior dress sphere again. Old habits die hard, I guess.

The boat docked in Besaid moments later and I made my trek from the beach to the village, taking in the sights that I had nearly forgotten about. I stopped at the gate and looked around. Things had definitely changed. There were more houses and I could see a sort of market place being set up at the center of the now growing town.

I walked towards Rikku's house, her being the first person I wanted to see, even though she had been the most annoying while we were on our adventure. I stopped in front of her door and, after a moment's hesitation, knocked. I wasn't sure how she would react to seeing me and I was nervous to tell either of them about the problems Baralai and I were having.

Seconds later, the small blonde opened the door. Her eyes widened and she squealed in delight. "Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed. "Paine! Is it really you?"

"Yeah, it's nice to see you too, Rikku," I said, smiling at her.

She immediately noticed the baby in my arms and gasped. "Oh! And who's this? Is this Jordan?" She asked, taking his small hand in hers and smiling at him.

"Yeah, this is him," I said, smiling down at him as well.

"Oh!" Rikku cooed, running her fingers through his hair. "He's so cute!" She stopped and looked around behind me. I took a deep breath for I knew what she was going to say next. I could read the question in her eyes and there was no way I could avoid it. "Oh, where's Baralai?" She looked back at me with a frown marring her features, waiting for my answer.

I pursed my lips and looked away from her, considering on telling her a lie. Maybe if she didn't find out it would be better. I once again wished that I had come here on better terms. She noticed my lapse right away and interpreted my strange attitude correctly.

"Uh-oh," she mumbled, putting her fingers over her lips. She grabbed my free wrist and pulled me inside her house. "Well, Gippal's working and Rylee is asleep right now so we don't have anyone to disturb us." She sat down in an easy chair and pointed to the couch, a no nonsense look on her face. I dropped my bag on the floor as I sat down heavily, sinking into the plush cushions of her couch. I really didn't want to spill the contents of the last six months out to Rikku. Maybe Yuna, but not Rikku.

_Oh, what the hell. It doesn't look like I really have a choice,_ I thought, resigning myself to my fate.

I looked up at Rikku to find her staring at me with a sincere gaze in her emerald green eyes. That in itself made me relax a small amount. I took a deep breath before diving into my explanation. "After Jordan was born, about one month actually, Baralai started getting violent. He would come home drunk and…" I paused to collect my bearings, the memory still fresh. "…and he would literally beat the shit out of me. He came home again last night drunk. I set him off and he beat me…again. Last night was different though. Last night, Rikku, I was scared for my life. I thought he was going to kill me. I looked into his eyes while he was hitting me and I swear I could see nothing but cold, animal rage and it scared me to death. I don't know what to do, Rikku. For the first time in my life, I have absolutely no clue what to do."

She sat there in her chair and seemed to let what I had just told her sink in. She nodded her head a few times while looking off to the side somewhere, a look of intense concentration on her face. Then she leaned forward and stretched her arms out. "Give me Jordan and go get Yuna. We're a team and we need to figure this out together."

I nodded, grateful of Rikku's support, and kissed my son on the forehead before handing him to Rikku. I left her small home and crossed the plaza to where Yuna and Tidus lived. I reluctantly knocked on the door and stepped back a little. The door opened and Yuna looked back at me with her bi-colored eyes and they seemed to sparkle as she realized who it was.

"Paine!" She said, stepping out and giving me a hug. "Oh, gosh, it's so good to see you! How are you?"

"Well," I said, looking back toward Rikku's house nervously. I brought my gaze back to her concerned face and screwed on a fake smile. "That's kind of why I came here."

She frowned and looked behind me. "What do you mean?"

"Do you have a minute? There are a few things I need to talk with you about."

"Oh, sure come on in," she said, stepping back so I could go inside her house but I just stood there staring at her.

I thrust my thumb over my right shoulder. "At Rikku's."

"Oh," she said, stopping and staring at Rikku's house. "Okay, hold on. I have to go get Auron."

I stopped her. "You named your son Auron? After your father's Guardian?"

"Yeah, Tidus named him actually," she said, smiling.

She disappeared inside her house and came out a few minutes later with an infant that looked only to be about a year and a half old, about half a year younger than Rikku's daughter. He looked back at me with the same bi-colored eyes his mother had. He looked like Tidus with his messy blonde hair and soft facial features. He smiled and waved at me. Yuna locked her home and we walked back to Rikku's house. We went inside and both Yuna and I sat down on the couch. Yuna fussed over Jordan, this being the first time she had seen him, while I held Auron.

After all of us had calmed down and a more serious atmosphere settled over us, Rikku and Yuna looked at me, coaxing me to start. I gave Auron back to Yuna as she handed Jordan back to me.

I slowly rocked Jordan in my arms for many moments, trying to sort the tornado that was carving a path of destruction through my head. The only thing that kept running through my mind is what Baralai would think when he woke up and found me and Jordan gone. Would he be angry? Worried? Would he feel anything at all?_ Does he even love me anymore?_ I thought, my chest constricting painfully.

Yuna suddenly laid her hand down on my shoulder and I jumped, startling both myself and Jordan. "Are you okay?" She asked, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

I nodded and recounted my story to Yuna. She sat and listened in utter silence as I spoke, never interrupting me. I watched her facial expressions and the way her eyes would dart around the room. At some points she would raise her hand and cover one whole side of her face as if to say 'I can't believe this'. As my story came to an end, Yuna seemed to regain her composure for she had lost most of it while listening to me. She looked at the ground and shook her head, a look of amazement in her eyes.

"Paine, I'm so sorry," she said as she closing her eyes, remorse plain in her voice. "If I would have known…"

"There's nothing you would have been able to do. And I'm sorry I didn't call one of you sooner," I said, leaning back in the couch, setting Jordan's head carefully on my shoulder. "I would have but I was scared of what Baralai would do." I snorted, appalled that I had said that. "I can't believe how weak I've become. I'm more than capable of defending myself."

Yuna shook her head, the long beaded earring she always wore clinking softly. "You aren't weak, Paine. You're in love and I know that he loves you too. He'll realize that he's making a huge mistake."

The room grew deathly silent and I could feel the traitorous burn of tears. Yuna was right. I did love him. I loved him a lot, actually. Whether or not he felt the same way about me didn't really matter anymore. If he really loved me he wouldn't be acting like this.

"Hold on," Rikku said suddenly, leaning forward in her chair. "Isn't Baralai still the Praetor? Can't he, like, get in trouble for what he's doing to you?"

"Baralai isn't _just _Praetor anymore," I answered. "It's like he owns the whole city. He controls the media, the paper. _He's_ the government, for crying out loud! Even if I told someone, no one would believe me."

"Well, I don't think that's true," Yuna said, letting Auron off of her lap so he could run around the living room. He took instant interest in some of Rylee's toys and sat down on the floor, happily playing with a few of them.

"Yes, it is. As much as I don't want to believe it. The first time it happened I tried telling the authorities but Baralai told them that I was making those things up just to get him in trouble. And, in turn, that was the reason why he beat me. I'm starting to think that even if we do make up and I go back and live with him, our marriage, no our _relationship_ will never be the same again."

Yuna, thinking that we had talked about this subject for quite long enough, changed the subject and asked me every question about Jordan that she could possibly think of. Both her and Rikku kept me busy talking about anything besides Baralai and it was working, at least for a little while. As long as I wasn't looking directly at Jordan I wasn't bothered by it but as soon as I did, every time he beat me, every time he came home drunk flew up in front of my eyes.

I knew then that I would never be the same if Baralai and I got divorced.


	2. The Beginning of the End?

**Chapter II:**

**The Beginning of the End?**

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Rikku set up a bassinet for Jordan in the guest room then went to wake Rylee up from her nap. She laughed as she recounted a story of Rylee when she was a new born. She said that Rylee would sleep so much during the day that she wouldn't sleep at all during the night. Jordan had been like that at first too. It's all a matter of being patient and waiting until he settled into his own routine.

While Rikku was tending to her daughter I put Jordan inside the bassinet and watched him as he slept. I brushed a few stray strands of downy white hair away from his face then walked back into the living room. Rikku had set Rylee on the floor with a few toys and disappeared to another area of the house. Rylee saw me and looked at me inquisitively.

"Momma," she said, pointing in the direction of the kitchen like she knew I was looking for her.

I ruffled the small girl's hair before making my way into the kitchen and found Rikku standing at the counter making a bowl of oatmeal for Rylee. She was currently stirring up the concoction before taking a small bite to make sure it wasn't too hot. Immediately I walked back out of the kitchen to get everything I needed to make Jordan a bottle for when he woke up. Rikku looked back at me as I walked back into the kitchen and sent me a calm smile. As I stood next to the sink mixing Jordan's bottle Rikku collected Rylee and put her into her high chair so she could eat. The small two year old sat happily eating her food while Rikku and I looked on in comfortable silence. Rikku looked over at me and was getting ready to say something when the phone began ringing. She pushed away from the counter and walked over to the right side of the kitchen where the phone was hanging on the wall, ready to pick it up.

"Rikku, no!" I said, rushing over and clamping my hand over the phone.

"Why?" She asked, looking at me with a confused expression in her green eyes.

"If it's Baralai tell him I'm not here. Please, Rikku!" I begged her. "If you tell him where I am, there's no telling what he'll do. I'm not ready to talk to him yet."

"Okay, okay," she said, picking the phone up and putting it to her ear. "Hello? Oh, hi, Baralai. How are you? And how's Paine?"

I smiled. I knew she wouldn't let me down.

"What?" Rikku asked. "She's gone? What do you mean?" She paused and listened. "So when you woke up, she was gone? Gee, Baralai, I'm sorry." She paused again and frowned. "Me? No, I don't have a clue where she is. Sure, I'll call you if I hear from her. No problem. Bye."

She set the phone down on the receiver and shot me a concerned look. "Paine, he sounded really worried."

"I don't think he's worried at all. He's probably glad I'm gone," I said, leaning up against the wall and folding my arms across my stomach. I couldn't help the scowl that crawled onto my face.

"How could you say that?" Rikku exclaimed, astonished. "Baralai loves you, Paine."

"If he does, he's got a funny way of showing it," I said, my words almost inaudible. "He acts as if he doesn't even love me anymore. He hasn't kissed me since Jordan was born. The only time he actually acts like he loves me is when he's talking in front of a crowd or appearing on TV. Any other time he treats me like I'm not really there."

Rikku stood, defeated, in front of me. Her mouth was turned down, her eyes moist with her arms lying limp at her sides. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Paine. I didn't think it was that bad."

I nodded. "It's okay, Rikku."

She stepped gingerly toward me and wrapped her arms around me in a warm hug. I hugged her back, grateful for the young Al Bhed's concern. I never imagined that she would be the one trying to help me with relationship problems. I never even envisioned myself being in a relationship let alone being married so I was in unfamiliar territory. I appreciated the fact that my friends were so willing to be here for me. If I didn't have them I wasn't sure where I would have gone. Rikku pulled away a second later then got back to feeding her daughter.

I walked over to the TV and flipped it on. The afternoon news was playing and I could only guess what it would be about. I couldn't help but wish that Baralai hadn't gone to the media, but I knew that was just wishful thinking. I knew for a fact that as soon as he had composed himself and taken something for the headache he was sure to have he would go running straight to the media. It was pathetic that I knew something like that. Rikku sat down on the couch next to me with a content Rylee on her lap. A few moments later a male news reporter showed up on the screen and I almost started laughing when a picture of me showed up in the top right corner with bold white letters below saying 'MISSING'.

"Praetor Baralai's wife, Paine, was discovered missing from their home earlier today. The Praetor said that her and their infant son, Jordan, were gone when he awoke this morning. There are currently no leads on where she is or if she's been kidnapped. On the other hand, the Praetor believes that Paine left on her own accord. He discovered their chocobo was gone as well. All the Praetor's neighbors reported not noticing anything out of the ordinary. Now here's Taila with Praetor Baralai," he said, staring into the camera.

A few seconds later, the screen switched to a young woman who was standing next to Baralai, who looked rather forlorn. I sneered at the sight of him, but my heart also ached. I still couldn't believe that he had done what he did. _How could he come on TV and act like he's the victim?_ I snapped back to attention as the female reporter began speaking. "Thanks, Evan. I'm here with Baralai, Praetor of Bevelle." She turned to Baralai. "Tell me, Praetor, how long have you and Paine been married?"

"Over a year," he said, his voice low and solemn.

"And you also have a child together?"

"Yes, we do. A seven month old son named Jordan."

"Do you have any idea what may have happened to them?" She asked, pointing the microphone back in his direction.

"No," he said, shaking his head and looking down. "She seemed perfectly happy." I suddenly felt the urge to chuck something at the television screen.

"Do you think she's out there somewhere listening to this right now?"

"Well, if she is…" he began, looking up at camera. "Paine, if you're listening, I'm sorry. Please, come home. You never realize how much you need someone until they're gone and, well, I need you right now. Please, Paine, come back to me."

The reporter looked back toward the camera. "Touching words indeed. Hopefully where ever she is, she heard it and will come home."

I scoffed and grabbed the controller, turning the TV off. How dare he come out and say that! He just acted like we were still on our honeymoon! _I kind of wish we were. If only so that I can relive it._

"What was that about?" Rikku asked, putting Rylee down to finish her bottle by herself.

"He was putting on a show," I said, setting the TV controller down on the table. "I could see it in his eyes. He doesn't want me to come back so we can make up and pretend that everything is alright. He wants me to come back so he can get the pleasure of beating me some more. He's just trying to suck up so I'll come running back."

I got up and walked toward the kitchen and looked at the clock. It was almost six thirty. I looked over at my blonde comrade.

"Hey, Rikku, when's Gippal getting back?"

"Probably any minute now," she said, getting up and walking over to Rylee.

"What does he do?" I asked, walking over to the wall and admiring their pictures.

"Both him and Tidus work in Kilika. They help load and unload shipments coming from Luca. Their ship usually docks here between six thirty and seven."

I nodded and examined the pictures hanging on the walls. There were a few of Rikku and Gippal on their wedding day and some of Rylee when she was a tiny infant. I smiled and remembered how happy Baralai and I had been on our wedding day. A small part of me wished that I could live that day over and over. Up until then I had never been so happy. I never thought my life would have turned out like this. Rikku volunteered to video tape all of the ceremony including the reception just to prove that I was not always grumpy. She was only a week or two away from her due date at the time and I remember laughing whenever I saw her waddle by with the video camera. Even though her back and her feet must have hurt like hell she was having the time of her life. I smiled as I stared at Rikku and Gippal's wedding photo and silently wondered if Baralai and I would ever be that happy again.

I looked over as Gippal walked through the door. He greeted Rikku and wrapped her into a passionate kiss before walking over to Rylee and picking her up. She squealed with joy as she wrapped her tiny arms around her father's neck. Gippal turned around and spotted me, the smile melting off his face.

"Paine?" He said, confusion seeping into his voice as he handed Rylee back to Rikku. "What are you doing here? And where's Baralai?"

I heaved an enormous sigh and turned to face my old Crimson Squad comrade. "Let's just say that Baralai and I aren't agreeing right now." I knew that he wouldn't take that as an acceptable answer, but you can't blame me for trying right?

Gippal's jaw dropped. This was something he hadn't been expecting and it was showing. He walked towards me and tightly gripped both my shoulders in his hands, leveling me with the most intense one-eyed stare I had ever encountered. "What happened?"

"Ever heard of the term 'cruel and unusual punishment'?" I inquired, leaving it at that.

Gippal's arms went limp as his hands fell from my shoulders and back to his sides. He stared at me with an unbelieving look in his green eye. "What was he doing to you?" He asked, a small hint of menace in his voice.

"Being domestically violent," I said, saying it the gentle way.

"In other words, he's been beating you," Gippal said, crossing his arms.

I nodded my head, beginning to accept the truth that my marriage would probably never be like Gippal and Rikku's.

Gippal lifted his right hand to his face and rubbed his temples. "How long?" He asked, still trying to process that the timid, quite young man he knew back in the days of the Crimson Squad could be capable of doing such a thing.

"Well, it began about one month after Jordan was born. So he's been beating me for four months. I thought his love for me would last forever, but I'm not so sure now."

Gippal looked away from me and began pacing in front of the door, staring down at the tile floor like he was trying to burn a hole through it. He had a faraway look in his eyes and could practically see the gears in his head turning. He stopped suddenly and looked at me with wide eyes. "I have an idea."


	3. The Plan Revealed

**Chapter III:**

**The Plan Revealed**

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Gippal grabbed my wrist and pulled me over to the kitchen table and sat me down. He sat across from me, that same thoughtful look still in his eye. "You said Baralai acted like he didn't love you anymore, right?"

"Yeah," I said, crossing my arms and trying to figure out what he was trying to say.

"Well, why don't we put him to the test?" He asked, a silly grin appearing on his lips as he sat back.

I frowned. "Like revenge?" I asked, not liking where this was going. "Do you want me to cheat on him or something?"

"No, nothing like that. Just a little test to see if he really does love you. I have a really good idea that is just crazy enough to work," he said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the tabletop.

"What is it?" I asked, wishing he would get to the point already. He had definitely piqued my interest.

"Well, I have a friend in Kilika that is a professional make-up artist. He can make you and Jordan look like you were killed somehow."

"And?" I asked, leaning back.

"Well, I could ask him to dress you and Jordan up to make it look like both of you were murdered in your sleep. Then we could take some pictures of you and go to Bevelle to tell him personally."

"One thing," I said, leaning forward again. "How will I know what his reaction will be?"

"I'm glad you asked!" He said, getting up from the table and disappearing from the room for a few moments. He came back carrying a small wooden box. He opened it and took out a diamond stud earring.

"An earring?" I asked, confused.

"You bet. Except these have little microphones in them," he said, pointing to it. "When Rikku and I go to Bevelle, she'll be wearing these and anyone who's standing within twenty yards of her will come through crystal clear on the monitor I have hooked up to the microphone's transponder. So when we go to Bevelle to bring him the bad news, you can be listening to every single thing he says."

I smiled. "I like it. When can we do it?"

"When I go back to work with Tidus tomorrow, we'll stop by his place before we start for the day and ask him. After we talk to him, we'll call you and give you the heads up. Sound good?" He asked, looking at Rikku and me.

"Yeah, I think it's a great idea," I said, getting up.

"Great, I'll ask him if he can come down here to do it. This is gonna be funny as hell," he said, putting the box with the earrings down on the kitchen counter and placing his hands behind his head. He stood like that for a few moments before letting his arms fall away from his head and looking at me solemnly. "I'm sorry, Paine. I never even thought that Lai had it in him to do something like this. I really hope that my plan helps you two, I really do. I don't want to see you guys split up."

I nodded at Gippal's words, feeling fresh tears come to my eyes. I was getting ready to utter my thanks when I heard Jordan start to cry from his place in the guestroom. Gippal flashed a smile at me and patted my shoulder before I went to comfort my son. I picked him up out of the bassinet and rocked him in my arms. He started to calm down once he saw me but that didn't last very long. He was probably hungry so I sat down and fed him for a while. Afterwards, I held him against my chest and lightly patted him on the back to help his food settle. I also took a few minutes to let a couple silent tears fall from my eyes. Once Jordan was content and my eyes were dry I left the guestroom and ventured back out into the living room.

Rikku was sitting at the dining room table drinking some coffee and Gippal was nowhere to be found. Rylee was sitting on the floor playing with some of her stuffed animals. Rikku looked at me and signaled for me to come sit down with her. I sat down heavily in the chair and set Jordan on my lap so he was facing my chest.

"So," Rikku began, twirling her cup around in her hands. "do you really think that Gippal's idea will work?"

"I don't know. It's not exactly what I would do but I want the best for Jordan," I replied, looking down at my son. "And I want him to be happy whether or not...Baralai and I are together."

"Don't worry," Rikku said, leaning forward and patting me on the arm. "I'm sure this will work. I know what you two were like when you first got married. You couldn't keep your hands off each other. I believe that he still loves you. He just needs to realize what he's doing is wrong."

I smiled. "Thanks, Rikku."

"No problem!" She said, sitting back. She smiled as she watched Jordan play with the studs on my leather top. "Paine, I can't get over how cute he is! You're so lucky!"

"Why?" I asked, as Jordan grabbed onto my fingers with his small hands. "You have a beautiful daughter."

"Yeah, I know," she said, looking over at Rylee as she sat on the living room floor. "But I've always wanted a little boy," she sighed, staring at Jordan.

"Well, maybe you and Gippal will get one someday," I said, bending down and letting Jordan pat my face with his hands.

"I hope so. No more babies for a while though. I'd like to spend more alone time with Rylee before I give her a sibling," Rikku said, getting up from the table. She put her cup in the sink then leaned against the counter top. "Well, I'm getting hungry. What do you want for dinner?" She asked, walking over to the cupboard and rummaging through it.

"Anything's fine," I said, rising from the table and setting Jordan on my hip.

"Okay," Rikku said, rummaging through the cupboard. She pulled out a box a few moments later. "Macaroni and cheese?"

"Sure," I said, shrugging a shoulder.

"Okay, I'll start some," she said, grabbing another box. "Why don't you go and see what Rylee's doing? Maybe she'll want to play with Jordan."

I nodded and walked into the living room. Rylee was still sitting on the floor playing with her stuffed animals. I walked around her and sat down on the couch, content to watch her play. She looked up at me after a few minutes and gazed at Jordan with her intelligent Al Bhed eyes. She smiled at him then grabbed a plush chocobo and came over to me.

She stared at Jordan for a few seconds more, almost like she was having a silent conversation with him before handing him the toy chocobo. At first, he didn't know what to think of it. He had different toys in his room back home. He looked up at me, asking me with his eyes what he should do. Rylee handed me the plushy instead and I held it in front of his face, shaking it from side to side. He stared at it with wide eyes before slowly reaching his small arms towards it and hugging it to his chest. He laughed at it then looked over at Rylee. She patted him on the head a few times before returning to the floor.

I sighed, feeling extremely insignificant. If Gippal's plan didn't work and Baralai continues to beat me then I would have no choice but to turn him in to the authorities. I would more than likely be fighting a losing battle but I would be damned if I let Jordan witness his father hitting me. I gave him a quick kiss on the forehead then set him on the floor next to Rylee to let him play with the plush chocobo before walking back into the kitchen.

Rikku looked back at me before reaching up into the cupboard to grab some bowls.

"Wow, done already?" I asked, taking the bowl she handed to me.

"Yep," she said, turning off the fire to the stove. "I've turned making mac and cheese into an art form. Rylee!" She called. A few seconds later, Rylee came into the kitchen and ran over to her mother who scooped her up off the floor.

"What, Mama?" She asked, playing with one of Rikku's many braids.

"Want some macaroni and cheese?"

"Yeah!" She said, her eyes glittering.

"Okay, take your bowl and go sit down with Aunty Paine," she said, turning back to the stove.

Rylee grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the table. "Sit next to me, Aunty Paine!" She exclaimed, hopping up onto a chair and setting her bowl down in front of her.

"Okay, hold on," I said, putting my bowl next to hers. "I have to get Jordan."

I picked Jordan up off the floor where he was still playing with Rylee's stuffed animals then walked back into the dining room. He protested loudly and I gave in, allowing him to bring the plush chocobo with him. Rikku brought the pot of macaroni over and set it on a hot pad in the middle of the table before sitting down herself. She handed me a spoon then began serving Rylee. I helped myself to a good portion and chewed thoughtfully, watching Rikku and her daughter interact. Jordan was still hanging on tightly to the plush chocobo and purposefully dropped it on the floor a few times then looked at me and pointed to it, wanting me to pick it up for him.

Once we were all finished eating Rikku and I sat down together on the couch while Rylee and Jordan played on the floor and tried to watch a little TV. The news reports were still full of my pictures with Baralai giving his 'I'm sorry' speech. Rikku could tell I was getting tired of it so she popped in a movie, which happened to one of Rylee's princess movies, but I enjoyed it much more than a depressing news broadcast.

Gippal came back in about half way through the movie and all three of us talked quietly until it was over. Jordan had fallen asleep on the floor so I gently picked him up and laid him down for the night. Rikku did the same for Rylee a few minutes later. Once both children were safely tucked into bed Gippal chose that moment to ask a few specifics about mine and Baralai's situation.

"Did he ever tell you why he hit you?" He asked, settling down on the couch and wrapping an arm around Rikku. I sat across from them in the arm chair.

I shook my head slowly, every time he hit me replaying over and over in my head. "No. He would beat me, pass out and act like nothing happened the next morning."

"He never hit Jordan did he?" Rikku asked, fear for my son in her voice.

"No, he never did. If he would have ever laid a hand on Jordan I probably would have killed him."

"Why did you never fight back?" Gippal asked, a confused look on his face.

I opened my mouth to speak but found myself at a loss for words. _Why did I let him? _I asked myself. _Why did it take me so long to finally put my foot down? _"I don't know, Gippal. I seriously don't know."

Around ten o'clock I said goodnight then went to grab some bedclothes out of my suitcase. I was rummaging around when I found a large black shirt that Baralai had given me after we were married. I raised it to my face and inhaled the scent of his cologne that was embedded into the threads. I had always loved the smell of his cologne. I sighed and put it on the bed then grabbed a pair of shorts and got undressed.

I lay down under the covers and snuggled into the sheets. After a few moments of hesitation, I lifted the shirt up to my nose and smelled the shirt again, reminiscing about happier times. A few more tears welled up from behind my eyes. I tried to stop them but my body wouldn't listen to me. I cried into the comforter until I was too exhausted to do anything else but sleep.


	4. Fooling the Fool

**Chapter IV:**

**Fooling The Fool**

**

* * *

**

"Paine!" Rikku called from downstairs. "Breakfast is ready!"

I moaned and grabbed my pillow, slamming it down on my head. Jordan had woken up in the middle of the night crying for food for the first time in months. He started sleeping through the night when he was four months old so having to get up with him was a little bit of a shock. I sighed and rolled out from under the covers, landing on the floor. I got up and walked over to Jordan's bassinet. He was still sleeping soundly. I leaned down and kissed his forehead before leaving the room.

I walked into the kitchen where Rikku and Rylee were. Rikku was standing in front of the stove and Rylee was sitting at the table, munching on a pancake. Rikku turned around and smiled when she saw me.

"Morning, sleepyhead!" She said, before turning back around. "I made you some pancakes." She grabbed a plate from the counter and put two good-sized pancakes on it then handed it to me. "Butter and syrup is on the table."

I sat down across from Rylee who was licking her plate clean of all the syrup. She set her plate down and smiled. "Morning, Aunty Paine!" She announced.

"Morning," I said, smiling while putting butter on my pancake.

Rylee hopped down from her chair and carried her plate over to Rikku. "Done, Mommy!"

Rikku turned around and took her plate from her, setting it in the sink before turning back to her and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Go get dressed, sweetheart!"

"Okay!" Rylee said, bouncing out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

I took a small bite of my pancake before leaning back in my chair and sighing. Rikku joined me at the table and smiled at me. "Gippal called before you got up." She grabbed the butter knife and began to spread butter over her own pancake.

"Did he already talk to that friend of his?" I took another bite and chewed slowly.

"Yep, he did," she said, grabbing the syrup bottle. "He'll be arriving here at about one o'clock with Gippal. After he's put all the make-up on you and Jordan he'll record a little of what you and Jordan look like onto a movie sphere then we'll be all set to go to Bevelle. I already talked to Lulu about putting a sleeping spell on Jordan and she didn't object so it must be okay."

"Sounds like a good idea." I took another bite. Rikku's cooking skills were something to be desired while we were aboard the Celsius; that's why we had Barkeep. She insisted on helping him cook when he adamantly refused and nine times out of ten the concoctions she cooked up weren't too easy on our stomachs. I had to admit though, she had gotten much better. "I just hope he believes it."

"He will," Rikku said, smiling.

Gippal walked in the door a half an hour after one o'clock with an older gentleman that looked to be in his mid-forties. He was slightly taller than Gippal and had dark black hair and medium tan skin. He was carrying a large case that I assumed held all of his make-up.

He looked at me and smiled. "Are you the one?" He asked.

I nodded and stuck my hand out for him to shake. "I'm Paine."

"My name is Josiah. You're the Praetor's wife, right?" He asked, shaking my hand.

I nodded. "Yes."

He chuckled a small amount. "I thought so. Me and my wife see you on the television every time the news comes on," he said, placing his make-up case on the table. I was a little distressed that he knew who I was, but very relieved when he didn't ask why he was going to make it look like I had been killed. "Gippal already told me what you wanted to do but," he began turning to me. "why?"

My shoulders slumped. _I thought too soon._

Rikku ran up and put her hands on my shoulders. "To get back at Baralai. He's been treating her really bad so she wants to see how he'd react if he found out something really bad happened to her and Jordan." I sighed inwardly. This was one of the few times that I actually appreciated her butting in.

He nodded and smiled. "Oh, a little revenge I see." He leaned over his make-up kit and began pulling out canisters of fake skin and vials of fake blood along with a few other things he would need. "Okay, I'd like to do the baby first. Where is he?"

I walked into the guest room and gently pulled Jordan from his bassinet. He was asleep so I made sure not to wake him. "A friend of mine is going to put a sleep spell on him when you apply the make-up."

"That's a great idea. Is it all right if his sleeper is torn? I want to make this as realistic as possible."

"Of course. Do whatever you have to do," I said, handing Jordan to him so he could start getting him ready while I went to get Lulu.

I walked out of Rikku's hut and went next door. I knocked and Lulu immediately appeared and walked out, following me back inside Rikku's hut. Jordan had woken up when we got there and was starting to cry. Lulu kneeled down next to the bassinet where Josiah had placed him when he began to fuss.

Lulu reached out and gently picked up the crying baby and held him gently in her arms. She placed two of her fingers gently over his eyes and a misty haze surrounded Jordan's body. When the mist dissipated Jordan was once again sleeping peacefully.

She handed him back to me. "He should stay asleep for the next three or four hours. I used the strongest spell I could."

"Thanks, Lulu!" Rikku said, hugging her.

"You're welcome," she said, returning Rikku's hug. "Is it alright if I stay and watch?"

Josiah nodded. "Sure, I'm gonna get started on Jordan right now." I handed Jordan to him once again and followed him out to the kitchen.

He gently placed Jordan down on the tabletop and turned to me after making sure he had his hand firmly placed on Jordan's chest so the small infant couldn't fall off. "Do you want me to make it look like Jordan has been cut up, burned or both?"

I put a hand to my chin. "I want to make it look like Jordan wasn't the primary target. Just make it look like someone cut him up. I want you to make it look I've been severely burned and cut up, if you can." Telling Josiah to make my son look like he had been attacked by a slasher scared the hell out of me but it was only fake. I had to keep reminding myself about that.

"Your wish is my command. I do this kind of stuff for a living." He pulled up a chair and hastily got to work on Jordan.

After removing his sleeper he put various sized fake cuts on his body then cut the sleeper up so it matched the pattern of the cuts and soaked the edges of the tares with fake blood. He also put white powder on his face, neck and arms to create the illusion that he had been dead several hours. Once he was done he stepped back, allowing all of us to move in and admire his work.

"This is the first time I've done a baby but I think it turned out really good."

I carefully looked over my son and, if I didn't know any better, I would swear he really had been killed. I turned to Josiah and smiled. "You did a magnificent job. It looks great." All the while I wanted to reach out to my baby and check his pulse to see if he was really still alive. _Just breathe, Paine. He's fine,_ I thought.

"Thank you," he said, smiling in return and grabbing more fake skin, blood and a few different types of make-up and powders to replicate burns. He turned back toward me. "Where can I do yours?"

"How about in the bedroom?" I suggested. "That's where we're going to take the pictures and I don't want to risk ruining the make-up."

"Sure," he said, gathering all his materials and following me into the bedroom. "Now do you have like a tank top and some shorter shorts?"

"I do!" Rikku said, thrusting her hand into the air. "I'll go get 'em!"

Rikku rushed out of the room before I got a chance to tell her I had some of my own and returned just as fast with a dark red tank top and some black cloth shorts. First he had me lay on the bed in just my undergarments so he could start putting all the make-up on.

"Where would you like the burns?" He asked, grabbing a canister of fake skin.

"How about my face and my hands?"

"Sounds good to me."

He made the whole right side of my face look like someone had taken a blowtorch to it and even made my hair look like it had been burned as well. My hands were a little bit harder for him to do. He made it look like I had used my hands to defend my face from being damaged so the majority of the burn make-up was on the backs of my hands. After the burns were completed, he began to put several cuts along my abdomen, arms and legs so it looked like I had been carved up like a side of beef. He also added a couple of stab wounds to my chest for dramatic effect. Because my skin was so light he didn't need to put any white powder on me to make it look like I had really died.

He grabbed a dropper from his kit in the kitchen and administered two drops to each of my eyes. My eyes started to burn and I was tempted to rub them but instead I just blinked it away. "What was that?"

"I just dilated your eyes," he said, putting the dropper back in his kit. "You know, to complete the effect. Jordan's eyes will be closed the entire time so I don't have to dilate his."

I nodded and fought the temptation to scratch my eyes for it would mess up the work that Josiah had done to my face. Both Rikku and Lulu then helped me put on the tank top and shorts. I carefully adjusted my position on the bed after I was dressed to make it look a little more natural and looked up at Rikku.

"Hey, why don't we just take pictures instead of film this?" I suggested.

Rikku nodded. "That's what we were considering," she said, putting her index finger on her chin. "But then we thought about what would happen if he wanted to see you."

I rolled my eyes. "Tell him I was cremated then fill an urn with some ashes."

"Like paper ashes?" She asked.

"I don't know," I said, shrugging. "That'll work. I've never seen human ashes before so I couldn't tell you what to use."

Josiah pulled a camera out of his kit and put some film into it. "I can have this developed later this afternoon. Now give me your best 'stone dead' pose."

I chuckled a small amount before opening my mouth slightly and freezing. I heard Rikku gasp as Josiah snapped the first picture of me.

"Wow," she breathed, shock resonating through her voice.

I rolled my eyes again before Josiah took the next picture of my burned face. He was careful not to get too close so Baralai wouldn't be able to tell that all of this was fake.

After he finished snapping pictures of me, he moved on to Jordan and got a few really good shots of him before turning back to us. "I'm going to go see if there's a place here in town where I can develop this."

"I know where it is," Gippal said. "I'll show you." He gave Rikku a quick peck on the lips before he led Josiah out.

I got up from the bed and looked at myself in the mirror. I had to get fairly close because the drops Josiah put in my eyes made it hard for me to see straight. I almost did a double take when I actually saw what Josiah had done to my face.

Rikku smiled. "So, you think it'll work?"

I nodded. "Oh, yeah," I said, touching my face lightly. "If this doesn't work nothing will. I might as well sign my divorce papers right now."


	5. Fake Blood

**Chapter V:**

**Fake Blood**

**

* * *

**

Josiah returned with Gippal an hour later with the developed photos and we crowded around him to see how they came out. Josiah immediately handed me the pictures and I quickly flipped through them, smiling and nodding my head in approval.

"When can we show him these?" I asked, looking at Gippal and Rikku.

Gippal looked down in thought and scratched his head. "We were thinking of bringing him here actually. That way you can really scare the shit out of him when we spill the whole story to him."

I nodded and looked down at the pictures. "I think that's a better idea too. Call him, Rikku."

She immediately went over to the phone and picked it up, redialing the number that Baralai had called from the other day. As the phone rang she signaled for everyone, including me, to be quiet.

"Yeah, may I speak to the Praetor, please?" She asked as someone picked up on the other end. "Thanks," Rikku remained silent until Baralai picked up the phone. "Hi, Baralai, it's Rikku." She paused, listening to him reply. "Oh, me? Not very good actually. Why? Well, that's what I called you about. I'd like you to come down to Besaid as fast as you can. Important?" She nodded her head exuberantly, causing her many braids to fly about her head. "Yeah, I'd call it that." She was silent, listening. "Okay, thanks, Baralai. We'll be here."

She hung up the phone and looked at me. "He'll be here in a few hours."

I nodded. "Should I take a shower and get all of this make-up off of me?"

Gippal stepped forward and put a hand on my shoulder. "No, keep it on. You know, just to freak Baralai out even more."

I smirked. Gippal was becoming my new best friend. "Alright," I said, turning and looking at Josiah. "Thanks for everything. You were a big help."

"Hey, no problem," he said, closing his case and lifting it off the floor. "I'd better get home. My wife will be wondering where I am."

Gippal looked at the clock that was hanging on the wall. "The next boat should be leaving in about a half an hour."

Josiah nodded. "I'll see you guys around." Gippal left with Josiah, presumably to walk him to the beach.

I turned to Rikku. "Well, what should I do until Baralai gets here?"

"Nothing, yet," she said, placing a hand on her hip. "I have to give you that receiver and put those earrings in before I forget and when Baralai gets here you jet back to your room and make sure Jordan doesn't cry when he wakes up. Then you sit back and listen to his reaction and come out when you think he fully understands what's happened."

"Doesn't sound that hard."

"Okay, good. Come on," Rikku said, grabbing my hand and leading me back to her bedroom.

She flipped on the light switch and grabbed the receiver, handing it to me. "Alright, you just flip this switch right here to turn it on. That's all you have to do."

I nodded. "What would I do without you guys?"

Rikku smiled and gave me a hug. "You'd probably be back at home with Baralai still putting up with his crap."

"Yeah, probably," I said, examining the black box I held in my hands. "I'm gonna go put this in my room."

Rikku nodded. "Okay," she said, putting the earrings that would relay everything that Baralai said back to me in her ears.

I set the receiver on my bed then stood next to Jordan's sleeping body and watched him sleep. If Baralai and I never reconciled then the only people I'd have left are my teammates, new and old, and my son. My heart ached at that thought. I wanted Baralai to be a part of Jordan's life. I wanted it more than anything. I sighed as I played with a few strands of his alabaster hair. Tricking Baralai like this was probably the only way to find out if he really did love me or not. A part of me didn't want to go through with it, but, then again, the other part was all for it. I sighed and walked out of my room for the time being; it would be a while before Baralai arrived anyways.

I walked into the kitchen and saw Gippal standing next to the sink, burning some newspapers. He looked at me and held up a porcelain urn. "How's this?" He asked, walking over and handing it to me.

I looked it over. "This'll do. Where did you get it?" I asked, tracing my finger over the paint.

"Actually," Gippal said, scratching the back of his head. "It's a family heirloom."

I frowned and looked up at him. "Then we shouldn't be using it for something like this." I started to hand it back to him so he could put it where he got it but he stuck his hand out and shook his head.

"No, I want to use it for this. We've known each other for a while, right?" He inquired, coming closer and slinging one of his long arms over my shoulders.

"Yes, we have."

"Then all the more reason for us to use it." I handed him the urn and he returned to the sink and put the burnt paper in it. "This'll be perfect." He walked back toward me. "This plan is fool proof. Baralai will be eating out of the palm of your hand by tonight."

"Let's hope so," I said, crossing my arms.

Rikku came running in the door mere seconds later with a flustered look on her face. "Okay, time for the plan to come into action! Baralai just arrived!" She rushed over to Gippal and grabbed the urn out of his hand then hastily pushed him over to a chair. She quickly sat down and placed the urn on the floor behind her chair. "Hurry, Paine! Get your rear in that room!"

I nodded and strode down the hallway into my room. Every nerve in my body was jumping in anticipation. I couldn't wait to see how he reacted. I closed the door and sat down cross-legged on the bed with Jordan in my arms and the receiver in front of me. I could hear Rikku and Gippal talking on the other end clear as a bell.

"Okay, put on your 'sad, somebody just died' face. We can't mess this up," _Rikku said quickly._

"_Yeah, yeah, I know," _Gippal replied.

I sat waiting, staring down at the black box like it would suddenly come to life and start jumping around the room. Moments later a knock came to the door and I heard Gippal's loud, clomping footsteps. He opened the door and greeted Baralai.

"_Hey, Lai," _he said, his voice solemn. _"Come on in. Go ahead and sit down."_

"_What's wrong, Gippal?"_ Baralai asked. The scrapping sounds of a chair's legs ground across the floor as Baralai and Gippal sat with Rikku at the table. _"What did you call me here for? Have you heard anything about Paine? Is she here?"_

"_Well,"_ Gippal said, clearing his throat. He got up from the table and rummaged around for the pictures that he put in a drawer somewhere. He returned to the table. _"We got these yesterday."_

Gippal dropped the pictures down onto the tabletop and allowed Baralai to look at them. Many silent moments passed and the tension felt so thick that I could very well have cut it with a knife. I held my breath as I heard someone start to speak.

"_Who…who did this to her?" _Baralai asked, his voice thick like he was holding back tears.

"We don't know. Tell him, Rikku."

There was a few seconds of silence before Rikku took a deep breath. _"It was so scary. I was in the market buying some groceries for dinner when I heard screams coming from the Inn. God, Baralai, they were the worst screams I've ever heard in my life. Everyone in the market heard it. I rushed to the Inn along with everyone else and managed to get inside the room where the screams came from. That's when I saw her." _Rikku started sobbing and a few seconds later I heard a clinking sound on the top of the table. I presumed she put the urn in front of him. _"We had her cremated."_

Baralai was silent again for many moments before speaking. _"Did they catch the person that did this?"_ I surprised how much venom I could hear in his voice. He sounded downright vengeful.

Gippal spoke up again. _"No. The room was empty when they found them. No one said anything about hearing Jordan scream. Whoever he was, he must have taken care of Jordan before he attacked Paine."_

"_I don't understand," _Baralai said, his voice cracking. _"If she was here, why didn't she come to see you?"_

"_We don't know. Maybe she just wanted to be alone for a little. Baralai, if Rikku or I would have known she was here we would have called you right away."_

"_I can't believe it," _Baralai muttered. _"This is all my fault. I caused this to happen. If I would have just listened to her and stopped drinking and started treating her the way I did when we first got married she'd still be here. Her and my son would still be alive."_

That's when Baralai totally broke down. My eyes began to tear up as I listened to his sobs. I had to clamp my hand over my mouth to prevent my own cries from bursting out of my mouth. Jordan started stirring in my arms and I immediately started feeding him after he completely woke up to make sure he didn't start making any noise. Baralai spoke up again, stumbling through every word.

"_I wish I would have told her how much I loved her," _he said, his voice cracking_. "I shouldn't have treated her so bad. I knew what I was doing was wrong but I couldn't stop myself. Every day after work I was so stressed out that getting drunk was the only way for me to calm down."_

Gippal and Rikku were silent for a few more moments before Gippal decided to break that silence again. _"I'm sure she knew you still loved her."_

"_How could she know that? For four months I acted like we weren't even married. I acted like we just so happened to share a bed and have a baby. During that time I never told her that I loved her. I never kissed her. I don't even deserve to be alive right now."_

"_Hey, don't talk like that!" _Gippal said, his voice becoming angry._ "Come on, Lai. Let's get you a room somewhere. You need to sit and calm down for a little. We can talk more when you're ready."_

I frowned. I saw the logic in Gippal's reasoning but I kinda wanted to give Baralai the shock of his life. My thoughts were interrupted as all three rose from their chairs.

"_Yeah, thanks Gippal." _Baralai's voice sounded as though he would break down and crumble again any second. The door opened and the room grew quiet.

I was getting ready to get up and walk out of the room when I heard Gippal's voice over the receiver. _"Leave Jordan with Rylee in her room and follow us to the Crusader's Lodge. I have another plan."_

I rolled my eyes as I walked out of my room and into Rylee's. She was lying tranquilly in her crib so I decided to put Jordan in along with her. Once I made sure they would be all right I left the house and circled around the village to the Crusader's Lodge so I came up behind it. I walked toward the small opening in the back that served as a window and listened in.

"You can rest here, Baralai. You got the whole lodge to yourself. Come find us when you want to talk about it some more."

"Okay, I will. Thanks again, Gippal. I just need to rest right now." Baralai's voice had relaxed somewhat but he still stumbled over his words like he had a stuttering problem.

"Take your time about it," Gippal said as he turned to leave the lodge.

I got up from where I had sat down and walked around the side then concealed myself in a bush. Gippal and Rikku emerged a few seconds later. Rikku continued to walk toward their hut as Gippal hung back and stretched his arms. I picked up a small stone and chucked it in his direction. It hit him in the arm but he didn't seem to notice it. I was getting ready to throw another one when he slowly started to walk towards were I was.

He came to a stop directly in front of the bush and turned his back to me, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Well, are you convinced?"

"I'm not so sure. What did you have in mind?" I asked, keeping my voice down.

"After I leave, sneak into the lodge and give him the scare of his life. He should be asleep by now so you don't have to worry about him hearing you walk in. You didn't take the make-up off did you?"

"No, I still got it on."

"Good. After I walk away wait until I'm back inside my hut before you come out. Think about what you're gonna say to him too. I wouldn't want you to freeze when you go in there."

"I'm already thinking."

"Good. Come back to the house after you're done. Rikku's gonna wanna hear about this." Gippal walked away before I got the chance to reply. I watched him slowly walk back to his hut and waited for at least thirty seconds after he disappeared behind the door. I made sure no one else was walking around in the plaza or around the temple before I slowly snuck out from behind the bush.

I swiftly but quietly made my way inside the Crusader's Lodge and crept into the back room where Baralai was sleeping. He was lying in the back bed with his back towards the door. He was curled up into a ball and my demeanor changed at how utterly pathetic he looked. For a second I was having second thoughts about doing this to him, but I quickly pushed my conscience to the back of my mind.

I took a deep breath then slowly let it out as I came to stand in front of Baralai's bed.


	6. Seeing Ghosts

**Chapter VI:**

**Seeing Ghosts**

**

* * *

**

I was only standing in front of his bed for a few minutes before he started to stir. He looked up at me and jumped back against the tent in fear; he was literally shaking. His face contorted into the biggest anguish filled expression I had ever seen. He shook his head a few times like he didn't believe that what he was seeing was real. "P-P-Paine?" He whispered, his voice shaking.

I continued to stare at him for a few more seconds for dramatic effect. "You did this to me, Baralai," I said simply, never breaking eye contact with him. "You did this to me."

He shook his head, sending strands of his white hair flying about his face. "No, I'd never do something like this to you."

"That's not what I mean, you idiot! This is what I look like on the inside, Baralai. You killed me on the inside."

"No, Paine, I didn't mean it! I tried to stop! I swear I did!" He exclaimed, getting on his hands and knees on the bed.

"Bullshit!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. All the months of pent up frustration had finally taken its toll and I realized that this is the conversation I should have had with him after this all started. "If you tried to stop then why did you keep doing it every weekend for almost seven months? My baby is dead because of you! How could you, Baralai? How could you? I thought you loved me."

Tears began streaming down Baralai's face and he buried his head into the sheets. "No, no, no!" He whispered over and over again, his voice filled with anguish. I fought off the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes. I had never seen him so broken before in my life. I just couldn't believe that it took an elaborate hoax to make him open his eyes. I turned and tried to leave the lodge as quickly and quietly as I could but he heard me. "No, wait!" He screamed frantically.

My heart jumped and began to race as I heard him come after me. He was fast but I was hoping in his compromised state that he would be a little bit slower. I bolted out of the lodge and jumped back inside the bush that I had just left mere minutes ago, holding my breath and staying very still. Baralai came running out of the lodge a few seconds later and looked around wildly before losing his balance and collapsing to his knees. He mumbled incoherently and pounded the ground with his fist, sobs racking his frame. All of a sudden I saw the old Baralai, the Baralai that I had married, and my chest constricted painfully. I wanted so much to go to him but I knew that I couldn't. Once he calmed down he got back to his feet and staggered back into the lodge, his sobs ringing in my ears.

I waited a few more minutes to make sure he wasn't going to change his mind and go to Rikku and Gippal's hut before I circled around the outside edge of town again and came in their back door. Gippal was sitting in front of the TV while Rikku was in the kitchen cooking something. Gippal got up and came toward me once he saw me walk in.

"Well?" He asked, a large smirk on his face. "How'd it go?"

Hearing Gippal, Rikku came running out of the kitchen. "Yeah, tell us! Tell us!"

I sighed and fought the temptation to scratch the left side of my face. "It went better than I thought. Baralai totally broke down and when he first saw me I swear he almost jumped right out of his skin." I paused for a second and sighed. "How long are we going to keep this charade going anyways?" I wasn't sure I could take much more.

Gippal looked at Rikku for a few seconds before looking back at me. "Maybe for only a few more days. We need to give Baralai enough time to really realize what he's done. Depending on if he comes back tonight we might just tell him. I think we've scared him shitless enough already."

I rolled my eyes and settled down into a chair. "I think that's an understatement."

"Did he go back to sleep after you left?" Gippal asked, sitting back down on the couch.

"I don't know, but if I was him I wouldn't be able to sleep for a week. He might be coming back here any time. Is Jordan still in Rylee's room?"

Gippal nodded. "Yeah, he actually fell asleep next to Rylee. I'm pretty sure they haven't woken up."

"Well, what do you want me to do?" I asked, getting up. "Should I take a shower and get all this shit off my face or sit around and let it harden?"

"Why don't you go ask Wakka and Lulu if you can use their shower? If Baralai comes and hears the shower running he's gonna figure something is up. Why don't you bring Jordan along with you? Just to be safe," he suggested.

I nodded and started to walk into Rylee's room. Before I opened the door I heard Jordan start to cry. I sighed in relief. "Right on time," I muttered as I stepped inside.

Rylee was sitting up holding Jordan tightly in her small arms and trying to calm him down as I approached her crib. When she saw me her eyes got wide and she opened her mouth to scream but I quickly clamped my hand over her mouth. "No, Rylee, it's okay. It's not real. It's only make-up."

She relaxed and I took my hand away from her mouth. She gripped Jordan and gently held him up for me. I took him into my arms and ruffled Rylee's golden blonde head before walking back into the living room. Gippal was once again stationed in front of the TV. "Rylee's up so she might be wandering out here pretty soon."

Gippal looked at me and nodded. "Alright, if Baralai comes by we'll lock the back door so you don't accidentally walk in."

"Sounds good to me."

I turned around and walked out the backdoor, making my way into Wakka and Lulu's hut very quickly so, if by some chance, Baralai was on his way to talk to Gippal and Rikku, he wouldn't see me. I gripped the doorknob of Wakka's back door and gently twisted it and sank inside.

A light came on in the hallway and it felt like my heart would jump out of my chest and start doing cartwheels around me. Once my initial shock faded and I calmed down, I realized Lulu was the one that turned the light on. I relaxed considerably. "Oh, it's you. Gippal and Rikku told me to come over here."

She nodded, the beads in her hair softly clinking together. "Yes, you can go ahead and get cleaned up. I'll take care of Jordan." She extended her arms towards me so she could take him.

I happily handed him over and walked into the bathroom once she showed me where it was. The make-up on my face was beginning to dry and harden, making it almost unbearably itchy. Getting it off of my face would be a very, very big relief.

I got in the shower and went to town on getting all the make-up off of my face. By the time I was finished the rag I had been using was completely covered and I was pretty sure that Lulu wouldn't be able to use it for anything anymore. The rest of the make-up was much easier to get off.

I made sure to get all the gunk out of my hair then got out and redressed. I checked my face again before walking out of the bathroom. Now that all the make-up was gone my skin felt weird without it. When I walked out of the bathroom I saw Vidina sitting on the floor with Jordan, helping him build a small mountain of blocks while Lulu sat on the couch watching them. She looked up and smiled at me, motioning to a chair across from her.

"Did you enjoy your shower?" She asked, sitting back and folding her arms over her stomach.

I nodded, running my fingers through my still wet hair. "Yes, very much. Thank you."

"You can stay here for a little before you go back to Gippal's," she said, getting up from the couch. "Until then would you like something to eat?"

I shook my head and waved my hand as if to swat a fly. "I don't think I'll be able to eat anything until all of this between Baralai and I is cleared up."

She nodded and returned to the couch. "Paine, I may not know you very well, but I feel like we're very much alike. If there's anything you need to talk about you can come to me."

I smiled. "Thanks, Lulu. I'll remember that."

Wakka walked into the living room and joined Lulu on the couch. "Well, Paine do ya think that Baralai'll come to his senses?"

I shrugged and leaned back into the cushions of the chair. "I hope so."

"Hey, well don't get down. I'm sure he'll come around. That boy couldn't keep his eyes off of ya when ya got married, ya?" Wakka said, trying to cheer me up.

"I hope he does too." I looked up at the ceiling and sighed before getting up. "Well, I'm going to go check if Baralai went back over there."

Lulu nodded. "Okay, Jordan can stay here with us."

I leaned down and gave my baby a kiss on the cheek before creeping out the back door. I snuck toward Gippal's back door and softly turned the doorknob, sighing in relief at finding it locked. I peeked around the side of the house and crawled toward the living room window, hoping that it would be open. I pressed my head against the wall and strained my ears to hear anything.

"You have to believe me!" I heard Baralai's exasperated voice. "I really did see her! She blamed me for her death!"

"Okay, okay, Lai," Gippal said, trying to calm him down. "Now just start at the beginning. Tell us what happened after Rikku and I left."

"Well," Baralai started, taking a deep breath. "I was trying to get some sleep but I heard someone walk in. At first I thought it was the owner coming to check on things but then I heard them stop in front of the bed. I opened my eyes and when I saw her I swear I almost had a heart attack. She blamed me for her death. She said that if I would have treated her better she wouldn't be dead."

No one spoke for a while and for a second I thought that they were going to spill it. "Well, what are you going to do now Baralai?" Rikku asked, still playing her part very well.

"I don't know. I don't want to return to Bevelle until I regain my composure."

"How much time will you need?" Gippal asked, trying to figure out how many days we had.

Baralai was silent. "I don't want to burden any of you. I'm going to leave in the morning." I heard a chair's legs scrape across the floor. "Oh, and don't let Paine's death get out. I don't think I could handle it seeing those pictures of her all over the news."

"No problem, Lai," Gippal replied, getting up as well. "But don't you think you're going to have to tell someone when you get back to Bevelle? They'll want to know what happened to her."

"You're right, but I'll address that when it comes up. I don't want to return to Bevelle and have everyone come and talk to me about it. I don't think I'll be able to handle that."

"Well, get back to the Crusader's Lodge and get some sleep if you can. I'll drop by later and see how you're doing."

"Thanks again, Gippal."

"Don't mention it."

Gippal opened the door for Baralai and I scurried behind the house. I stuck my head around the corner and watched Baralai trudge back to the lodge before I returned to Wakka and Lulu's hut.


	7. Ghosts Revealed

**Chapter VII:**

**Ghosts Revealed**

**

* * *

**

Once I got back, Lulu handed Jordan back to me and looked at me expectantly. "Was he there?"

I nodded. "I caught the end of their conversation actually. Baralai's going to be leaving in the morning."

Her thin eyebrows rose slightly. "Well, then he's going to have to find out the truth before he leaves. Let me know how it goes."

I chuckled. "I will. I'm gonna get back over there and see what Gippal's going to do. Thanks for letting me take a shower."

She shook her head, causing her beads to clack together continuously. "It was no trouble."

I smiled at Lulu and Wakka before walking out. I tested the back door, finding it unlocked once again. I walked in and Gippal immediately ran up to me. "Okay, Paine, come sit down," he said, roughly grabbing my arm and tugging me toward the couch.

"I'll take it that you have a plan," I said, setting Jordan on the floor so he could play with Rylee.

"We're gonna have to tell Baralai tonight. So go ahead and change into some different clothes."

I nodded and walked into the guest room. I dropped my bag down onto the bed and sorted through a few items of clothing I had brought with me. I happened upon my Warrior dressphere and turned the idea of wearing that around in my head. After a few minutes of heavy thought I sighed and decided to wear it.

I wrapped my hand lightly around the sphere and held it out in front of me. I closed my eyes and concentrated as the sphere began to glow. A column of light enveloped my body and I was adorned once again in my leather Warrior outfit. I glanced down at the sphere, staring into its dull gray depths before tossing it back into my bag.

I met Gippal and Rikku in the living room. "Should I bring Jordan with me?" I asked, adjusting one of my gloves.

Gippal shook his head. "No, Rikku's gonna stay here. She'll take care of Jordan and Rylee while we go talk to Baralai. Now here's the plan. Try to stay in step with me so Baralai thinks there's only one person coming. When I go into the tent wait outside and when it's time for you to walk in I'll give you the cue. Sound good?"

"Sure. Let's just get this over with," I said, walking out of the hut.

Gippal walked out and pulled the door shut then I fell in step beside him, making sure I kept my steps in time with his. We reached the lodge and I stood off to the side as Gippal walked in. I slinked around to the back window as quietly as I could, intent on hearing their entire conversation.

"Hey, Baralai," Gippal whispered. I concluded that he must have fallen asleep.

After a few seconds of Gippal's prodding Baralai finally woke up. "Huh, what is it, Gippal?" Baralai asked groggily.

"How ya doin', buddy?" He asked, sitting down on the bed next to Baralai.

"Well, for a guy that just lost his wife and son, terrible," he replied, his voice weak.

"Everything's going to turn out okay," Gippal said, squeezing his friend's shoulder.

Baralai shot him a sideways glance, a skeptical gleam in his eyes. "How do you know that?" He whispered, his eyes glistening with fresh tears.

"You know," Gippal began, biting his lip. "there's someone who wants to see you."

Baralai was silent for many moments, his dark eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Who?"

"Well…"

I took that as my cue. I left the window and made my way around to the tent opening. I took a deep breath and walked in. My footsteps alerted him to my presence and he turned around with a disinterested look on his face. As soon as he saw me though, his jaw dropped and his face became placid; for a second I thought he would faint.

"Gippal…" He said, looking at the blonde Al Bhed with wide, wary eyes.

"It's okay, Lai," Gippal reassured, getting up and walking towards me.

"Is she…you mean…she isn't…?" Baralai stuttered as he unsteadily rose from the bed, his knees shaking uncontrollably.

Gippal stopped next to me and rested his hand on my shoulder. "No, man, she's not dead." He threw a smile in my direction. "I'll be outside." I lifted the right side of my mouth up as a way of saying thanks before he turned and walked out of the lodge. Once Gippal was gone, I turned my eyes toward Baralai.

Tears were streaming down his face as he took short, hesitant steps towards me. He raised a shaking hand and reached out for me. "Paine?" I raised my own hand and gently grasped onto his fingers. He jumped, almost like I had shocked him, before he clenched my hand in both of his. He got right in front of me and placed one of his hands gingerly on my cheek. He stared into my eyes for many long moments before he took a deep breath. "Why?" He croaked.

I placed my hand over his. "I didn't know what else to do. It wasn't my idea to trick you like this, but nothing I tried seemed to work." Baralai bowed his head and he continued to cry. My eyes started to sting and I bit down on my tongue to keep the tears from coming. "Baralai, I'm sorry," I stuttered, my voice beginning to crack. "You weren't acting like you loved me anymore. It seemed like with every passing day we were growing farther and farther apart. Leaving was the only alternative I had left."

Baralai continued to cry for many minutes after I finished speaking. I couldn't hold my tears back any longer. I stopped biting my tongue and let the crystalline drops fall from my eyes. I grabbed Baralai's chin and forced him to look up at me before placing my lips over his. He immediately latched onto me and pressed his lips harder against mine before pulling back and cupping my face with his hands.

"Paine, I'm so sorry." He stopped to sniff and take a deep breath. "I'll never ever get drunk again. When Gippal and Rikku told me you were dead my world literally fell in around my feet. I was so confused; I didn't know what to do. It was like I was living one of my worst nightmares. Paine, you and Jordan are the most important things in my life. Being the Praetor can't even compare with how important you are to me and the ironic thing is, it took your staged death for me to realize that."

I nodded, still unable to regain my composure. I sniffed and coughed a little. "No more drinking?"

He shook his head violently. "No, we'll have champagne on our anniversary but that's it." I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. We held each other for what seemed like days until he pulled back and gently cupped my face in his hands. "Things are going to change. I promise."

"I know they are," I replied, one corner of my mouth pulled up in a half smile. "I love you, Baralai."

"I love you too, Paine. More than you can ever imagine."

We stood in each other's arms for a few more moments before he took my hand and walked with me out of the Crusader's Lodge. Gippal slapped Baralai on the shoulder as we emerged from the large tent.

"Sorry about lying to you, Lai."

The Praetor shook his head. "It's alright. I should have realized sooner what I was doing to Paine."

"Well, at least you realize it now." Gippal smiled at me. I returned the smile gratefully.

Gippal pulled his door open and allowed Baralai and I to enter in front of him. Rikku ran down the hall with an overly excited Jordan in her arms. She streaked towards Baralai. "Look who's here, Jordan! It's daddy!" Rikku had taken the time to clean all the make-up off of Jordan while we were gone

Jordan squealed as Rikku came to a screeching halt in front of him. Baralai reached out with shaking hands and accepted his son from the blonde Al Bhed. Pure joy filled Baralai's soft chocolate eyes as he hugged the small infant to his chest. Rikku went to Gippal's side and gave him a victorious squeeze, delighted that our little family was back together again.

Baralai reached out with a trembling hand and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him. I kissed Jordan on the top of his snowy white head and smiled as he laid his head against Baralai's shoulder. I kissed Baralai softly on the lips as tears started to blur my vision once more.

The love I had found was genuine and I could definitely keep it.


End file.
